


checkered flag

by chimchong



Category: EXO (Band), 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Genre: Car Accidents, Car Sex, Implied Relationships, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, M/M, References to Drugs
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-22
Updated: 2018-10-22
Packaged: 2019-08-05 23:09:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,403
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16376798
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chimchong/pseuds/chimchong
Summary: "Why have you been avoiding me?""Listen, it's not what you think this is about.""You think you'll be kicked off the road because you're into guys not chicks. That's what it's about.""No, n-- no, it's not.""Then what is it? I'm tired of stalling. I want to know where we stand and whether it's worth me--""It's because it's you!" A pause. "It's because it's you," he repeated, softer. "Yoongi doesn't give a flying fuck about who I like. But it's you. You, the biggest rival for our garage; you, the badass kid who whoops everyone's ass and makes him cringe; you, one of Kris's top racers, the same person who killed Yoongi’s friend; you--" he took a breath. "You, the one who I love.He wasn't perfect but the other didn't care. He wasn't out for perfection. He wanted home and love and care and the other was all of that and more.





	checkered flag

**Author's Note:**

> hello! this is a new trial and error fanfic that i've started writing ^^  
> pls be patient with me for updates, i'm very busy irl so i will update when i can  
> also i would appreciate any feedback!  
> thanq! 
> 
> sincerely,  
> ~ yo' hoe, author-nim

{ jeongguk: 17 }

Red. Yellow. Green. 

Rush. 

Adrenalin—

“Good run today, kid. Could have been bit smoother ‘round the bends though. Keep working on your drift.” 

“‘Kay.” 

“Don’t tense up. Can feel you stiff as a plank over the radio.”

“‘Kay.” 

“And get Byun to check your breaks. Might need replacing.”

“M’kay.” 

“That’s all, kid. Get some rest and food. Be back here no earlier than six tomorrow, you here?” 

“Yep. Thanks.” 

Yoongi watched as the youth trudged out of the garage, perspiration making his thin white t-shirt cling to his back and accenting his muscles. He shook his head and took a drag on his cigarette before letting it fall to the ground and squishing it with the heel of his loosely-tied Doc Martens. 

“Kid’s too competitive for his own good,” he muttered after he heard the heavy door close with a bang that resonated through the garage. “Might be his downfall.” 

Jeongguk arrived home smelling of sweat, rubber and oil. The apartment was quiet and dark, but the smell of kimchi and freshly cooked rice hung heavy in the air. Closing the front door quietly, he removed his shoes and tiptoed to his room. He would shower in the morning. Right now, his only priority was sleep. 

Five o’clock he next day found Jeongguk standing on a bus crowded with students and doting mothers and their children. A twenty minute ride later, Jeongguk was walking the grimy, gum covered streets toward a nondescript mechanics’ and body shop. The bells jingled as he shoved the glass door open. Hyeri greeted him with a cheerful smile. 

“Hey Gukkie, Baekhyun might be working on your ride right now. Not sure. Stay safe out there, ‘kay?” 

Jeongguk nodded and ducked behind the counter through the shop. Opening the door sent dazzling sunlight in Jeongguk’s eyes and a waft of rubber up his nose. As he made his way around the piles of tires and pools of oil he heard the faint clinking of metal on metal. 

“Hello?” Jeongguk’s echoed slightly and a harsh gust of wind rose up his loose school uniform shirt. 

The clanking continued and Jeongguk followed the sound and found himself standing in front of an Acura NSX. He admired the car, testing his knowledge of cars: seemingly brand new, six months to a year, but no more; in impeccable condition; a custom tiger pattern added on the black base coat; matching orange fog lights. A pair of legs stuck out from under the car, and Jeongguk kneeled to poke one. 

“God!” A clang came from underneath the vehicle and the rest of the body was soon revealed. “What the heck, kid? Could’a poked my eye out!” 

“Hi Baekie!” Jeongguk replied with an innocent smile. 

“—hyung for you—“

“What’cha doin’?” 

The man shook his head and muttered something his breath that Jeongguk could not decipher, but a small smile played at his lips, though, betraying his emotions. “Fixing this bad boy up. Client’s a big name. Top priority,” Baekhyun replied, wiping his hands on a dirty rag. “He’s the sort of guy who wants speed, so he gets speed. No questions asked and no answers other than ‘yes sir’.” 

Jeongguk nodded and stuffed his hands in his pockets. “Yoongi said you should check my break pads. I’m working on drifting, so they might be wearing out.” 

“Sure thing, kid. I’ll get to them soon enough.” 

Jeongguk smiled and hoisted himself up on one of the stacks of tires. 

“How’s school? Keeping your grades up?” 

“Yeah...”

He could hear Beakhyun chuckling from underneath the car. “You don’t sound so sure of yourself. What’s up?” 

Jeongguk sighed. “Tryin’a keep up with it all. One of these days my brain’s gonna explode like an overheated engine. Good thing I’ve got a backup plan,” he grinned cheekily. 

“You know the rules, kid,” a new voice came from behind Jeongguk. He started and jerked around to see Yoongi in the shadows, leaning languidly against a Dodge Charger with a Pepsi can in his hand. “No races ‘till you’re eighteen.”

“But I’m getting better! Haven’t crashed in three months.”

“No exceptions. Rules is rules.”

“But I’m be eighteen in four months! I’m literally eighteen.”

“I ain’t gonna be liable for underage kids getting up to shenanigans.” 

“But hyung—“ Jeongguk tried using an honorific to abate the man’s unwavering views. 

“Shud’dup or I’ll clap your mouth. Know your place, and stay’n it.” 

Jeongguk puffed out his cheeks and pressed his lips to a thin line. Baekhyun had remained silent for the duration of the trade off and now emerged again from under the car, spanner in hand. 

“And didn’t I tell you to not be here earlier than six? Your problem is that you don’t listen. Won’t get you far, y’know. And you say you wanna race? Don’t even fu—“

“Give the kid a break, Gi,” Baekhyun offered weakly as he wiped the grease off his hands. 

“Give the kid a break? Give him a break? Don’t you dare tell me to give him a fucking break. You know what happens when rules are broke.” Baekhyun averted his gaze to the ground. Yoongi's glare settled on the mechanic then let it glide to the youth. “We break enough as it is. Not risking anything no more.”

%

In his few years of knowing Yoongi, Jeongguk had quickly figure out how the older male expressed his emotions. The first time he had seen Yoongi upset, he was certain he felt an artic wind whip around him. Yoongi's anger was the silent type, the one that brewed and slowly bubbled forth into something far more dangerous than anything explosive. His mother's anger, for example, was the explosive type: loud words and wild gesticulations, finger wagging and comparing to others of his age. 

No, Yoongi's anger was silent but physical. So when Jeongguk returned from drift practice at two a.m. early sunday morning, to receive a sharp slap across his face, he knew he had done something wrong. But who was he kidding? The moment he ran the red light, a police car just meters behind him, he knew he had messed up big time. 

Baekhyun sat on a stack of tiresfrom the corner of the garage, watching the scene. A scandalised Jongin stood behind him, jaw tight and muscles ready to hold Yoongi in place if things got out of hand. 

"The fuck are you playing at?" There it was, that icy coldness in his voice and angry glint in his eyes that sent shivers down Jeongguk's spine. "Do you have any idea what could have happened out there? Any fucking idea?" Yoongi's voice was quiet, but Jeongguk was no fool: he knew Yoongi was livid, ready to tear him apart with his hands in order to teach him a lesson. 

"You say you want to race, and you fuck up like that? Give me a fucking break," the elder contined, landing a tightly-balled fist square in the middle of Jeongguk's abdomen. The younger staggered back and coughed, the wind knocked out of him. In the dark corner, Jongin took a step forward, only to be held back by Baekhyun. It was a minor punch. "Go home, get some rest and don't come back for a week." 

And with that, Yoongi turned his back on Jeongguk and walked out of the garage. Jeongguk stayed motionless until he heard a cough come from the distance. Only then did he relax and take a breath, his hand instinctively massaging his stomach. He winced. 

"Think about your choices." The youth whipped around, tripping over his laces and nearly falling. How Baekhyun had creeped up on him without him hearing was creepy. "This is dirty business, Jeon. Don't put yourself in unnecessary danger."

Jeongguk nodded glumly. "I know.. I didn't see them, I swear." 

Baekhyun shrugged. "They buy a pair of glasses. You know, that four-eyed shit." 

Jeongguk cracked a smile, and Baekhyun gave him a good-natured pat on the shoulder. "Listen kiddo, we all make mistakes," he said reassuringly. "Yoongs means the best, even if he gets physical." 

Jeongguk shrugged and sighed, his heart heavy. He felt strangely guilty, and that confused him. He had genuinely not seen the police car, and yet he was mentally beating himself up for being so oblivious. 

"You'll get better, don't worry," Baekhyun continued, squeezing his shoulder. "I've got faith in you."

Jeongguk hoped that faith wasn't in vain.

**Author's Note:**

> the fic will pick up pace in more than one way so stay tuned :3  
> if yall are here for da gay..  
> yall gonna get the gay don't worry ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)


End file.
